Typing block-out mechanism for writing machines



Jam 1962 J. w. BAKER 3,018,871

TYPING BLOCK-OUT MECHANISM FOR WRITING MACHINES Filed Aug. 18. 1959United States Patent 8,871 YP N BLOQKrQUT. MECHA M O WRITING. MACHINESJoseph W. Barker, Monroe, Conm, assig'nor to- Sperry Rand Corporation,New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware I FiledaAng. 18; 1959;Ser.,No.,834,5 48

8 Claims. (Cl, 197-130) This. invention relates toaa blocking means forpreventin-g printing by the type bars of a business machine withoutaffecting the normal letter feed operation of the carla A particular.object ofthe invention is to provide a buffer, adjacent the type guideof a typewriter or the like, which can he moved to position to block theprinting actiontof 'thet'ype head by being moved into the pathof thetype bar. Afurther object of the invention-is toproyide a typinghlock-outmeans that can be adjusted by the typist for thepurpose ofallowing her; to makeuse of the key levers as in ordinarytypingfor-planning typed matter so that it can beproperly centered onthe'shee t.

Another object o'f the invention is to provide a device ofthecharacterset forth that can'be made as a separate 'unit, for application as acombination type bar guide and printing block-out means, and at smallcost.

Formerly the typist was accustomed to operate the space for every typecharacter and space between words which was a time consuming operationand often led to mistakes due to miscounting the number of letters in aword or spaces. between wordsandit is a further object of the inventionto eliminate the necessity for manipulation of the spaceba-nandhencesave/time in theplanning of the work to be done.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description, when read in conjuction with theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of the printing area of a typewriterincluding part of the platen and the type bar guide,

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 showingthe type bar blocking means in inoperative position,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the blockingmeans in operative position,

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the parts as they wouldappear in the operative positon of FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 1showing the structure of the parts.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1t) indicates the platen of awriting machine, such as a typewriter, for receiving the printing impactof a type bar 11, in the well known manner. The type bars -11 arepivotally mounted in a segment 12, the upper edge only of which is shownand to which is secured, as by the screws 13 and aligning pins 14, atype bar guide 16 having a central opening 17 and spaced type bar guideears 18 projecting forwardly from the upper end of said type guide 16and having opposed inside faces flared downwardly and outwardly. Theface of the guide is channeled to provide a seat 19 bounded by thevertical walls 21 spaced apart to confine a blocking slide 22 invertical movement.

The blocking slide 22 consists of a piece of metal or other suitablematerial shaped to provide an aperture 23 out of which may be formedupper and lower intermediate flanges 24 and 26, respectively, the latterbeing referred to as a lift flange.

The upper flanged top edge of the slide is flared outwardly to provide acam end 27 which coacts with a 3,018,83 i Patented Jan. 30, 1962 cambevel 28 extending across the upper edge of the aperture 23 so, that asthe slide is elevated it will flex enough so that it will befrictionally held inits position. of adjustment and so that its upperend will move out- Wardly or to the leftin FIGURE 3 to position theupper tapered end of a rubber or composition butter block 31 in betweenthe cars 18 of the guide to provide a yield able resistance to thepositioning of the block at its upper end between and in contact withthe cars 18 and to provide a bumper for the upper endof the type bar sothat the head of the latter-will not strike the platen.

In accordance with, one of the objects of the invention, the printingmovement of the type bar will be interrupted or blocked at a position asclose to the platen as will make it possible for the type bar to actuatethe letter spaced mechanism which is done by having a projectionadjacent the heel of the type bar operate an arcuate bail common to allof the type bars, and which is so well known as to need no illustration.The typist can thus letter space the carriage, without typing, for thepurpose of centering'headings or planning other typing layouts thatrequire the counting of letter spaces before the typing is to be done.The rubber buffer 31 iscementcd or otherwise secured to the upperportion of the slide 22 and has a tapered tongue 32 projecting beyondthe upper edge of the slide to fit between and in contact with the ears18 of the guide and to provide for rebound action of the type bar on itsreturn stroke.

The blocking slide 2, is flanged along its bottom edge as at 33 toprovide a lowering lip which along with the lower intermediate lightflange 26 cooperates with an eccentric cam 34 when the slide is to beraised and lowcred. The eccentric cam 34 has a flat dwell 36 consstituting a detent for supporting the slide in typing blockout positionwithout attention on the part of the operator. The elastic property ofthe buffer 31 in its resistance afforded by the tongue 32 being flexiblycrowded into contact with the flared inner faces of the guide ears 18will yieldably maintain the flange 26 in contact with the dwell 36 andwill yieldably resist any turning movement of the cam 34 so that thevibration of type bar action will not release the slide from block-outposition. It will be evident that in the rotation of the cam to theFIGURE 4 position the rubber buffer block will be first compressed asthe periphery of the cam wipes the flange 24 and thereafter will expandto cause the flange to seat and be yieldably held on the dwell 36 of thecam.

The slide operating cam 34 is mounted for eccentric rotation on a stud37 riveted as at 38 to the cam and held by a head 39 in the type barguide 16. The cam 34 is provided with a projection or nub 41 throughwhich the cam 34 can be manipulated by a pencil or other pointed objectto raise and lower the slide 22.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the bestembodiment of my invention, it is obvious that changes in form could bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I thereforedo not limit myself to the exact form herein shown and described nor toanything less than the whole of my invention as hereinbefore set forthand as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a guide for the type bars of a writing machineincluding ear portions having flared inner faces bounding an opening insaid guide; of a slide mounted on said guide, resilient buffer means onsaid said slide, means for mounting the slide on the guide for verticalmovement of the buffer means into the opening between said ear portionsof the guide and into yieldable contact with the flared inner faces ofsaid ear portions for controlling the printing action of said type bars,and cam means for moving said slide and detaining the same in raisedposition by the yielding action of said buffer means.

2. A guide for the type bars of a writing machine, said guide includingspaced ears and a seat portion, a slide in said seat portion, resilientbuffer means on the slide, and means for moving the slide vertically tomove the buffer means into the space between said ears and intoyieldable contact therewith to control the typing operation of said typebars, said slide moving means having a detent dwell for retaining saidslide in its vertically moved position.

3. A combination guide and typing block-out means for a writing machineincluding a guide member having spaced ears and a seat portion, a slidemovable on said seat portion, elastic type bar buffer means on saidslide adapted to be positioned against and between said ears tointercept the type bars in movement toward the printing point and meansfor moving said slide into intercepting position against the yieldableresistance of said buffer means.

4. In a writing machine, the combination with printing type bars, acarriage movement controlled by movement of said type bars and type barguide means adjacent a platen; of a slide, means for mounting said slidein the guide means, resilient buffer means on the slide movable into thetype bar guide means to prevent the type bars from striking the platenbut allowing control of said carriage movement, cam means for adjustingsaid slide to move said buifer means into the guide means, and

detent means on said cam means against which said slide is yieldablyurged by the resilience of said buffer means.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4, wherein said detent meanscomprises a flat edge on said cam means for detachable engagement withsaid slide.

6. Type blocking means for a printing mechanism, including type bars, acarriage escapement means operated by the type bars and a guide for saidtype bars, said blocking means including a slide presenting verti- 4cally spaced flanges, means for mounting the slide in the guide,resilient bumper means on the slide, and means engaging said flanges forshifting the slide in opposite directions, the movement of the slide inone of said directions being eiiective to bring said bumper meansagainst the guide and into the path of said type bars for blockingprinting action thereof after operation of said escapement means, saidbumper means reacting against said guide for yieldably holding saidslide against said shifting means.

7. A type blocking means of the character set forth in claim 6 in whichsaid slide shifting means includes eccentrically pivoted cam means forengaging said vertically spaced flanges, said cam means being shaped toprovide a dwell portion for holding the slide in one position ofadjustment, and an extension on the cam means for manual manipulationthereof.

8. Type blocking means for a printing mechanism, including type bars, acarriage escapement means actuated by said type bars and a guide forsaid type bars having seat and cam portions therein, said blocking meansincluding a slide adapted to engage said seat and cam portions, bumpermeans on the slide, and means for shifting the slide to bring saidbumper means into the path of said type bars for blocking the printingaction thereof after actuation of said escapement means, said shiftingmeans including spaced flanges on the slide, cam means presenting adwell portion and positioned between said flanges, pivot means formounting the slide and cam means on the guide, and extension means onsaid cam means for facilitating manual operation thereof to shift saidslide, said dwell portion constituting a detent means for engagementwith one of said flanges to hold the slide in a shifted position.

2,834,448 Leglise May 13, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE.OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 Ol8,8 71 January 30, 1962 Joseph Wu Barker 7It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

In the heading to the drawings, line 1 name of inventor, for :"J. W.Baker".read J. W. Barker Signed and sealed this 19th day of June 1962a(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w; SWIDER VI L- A Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

